1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a system and method of correcting an alignment error of an array inkjet printhead having a plurality of head chips, and more particularly to a method of correcting an alignment error in a sub-scanning direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, inkjet image forming apparatuses form an image on paper transferred in a sub-scanning direction by ejecting ink from a shuttle type inkjet printhead that reciprocates in a main scanning direction. The inkjet printhead typically includes at least one inkjet head chip that includes a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink and an ejection unit providing an ink ejection pressure.
Recently, an effort to enable fast printing by using an array inkjet printhead including a nozzle unit having a length in the main scanning direction corresponding to the width of paper, instead of the shuttle type inkjet printhead, has been made. However, the nozzle unit of the array inkjet printhead is difficult to be embodied in a single head chip. In general, the nozzle unit is embodied by arranging a plurality of head chips, each having a plurality of nozzles, in the main scanning direction. To obtain superior print quality, the head chips must be accurately aligned in the sub-scanning direction. Accordingly, when an offset in the sub-scanning direction is generated during the alignment of the head chips, the offset is directly reflected in a printed image. However, it is very difficult to arrange the head chips without an offset in the sub-scanning direction. Accordingly, the manufacturing costs rise to obtain accuracy in the alignment in the sub-scanning direction in a manufacturing process.